Indian Army Launches Operation “School Chalo” In South Kashmir

The Indian Army is conducting another operation, “School Chalo” in South Kashmir, right after their successful operation, “Calm Down” in the same region. The latest operation, “School Chalo”, is organized by the Indian Army in order to identify areas with security concerns and to offer free coaching classes to the students in these areas, who were deprived of education since the riots in July and urge them to participate in extra-curricular activities.

Major General Ashok Narula, General-Officer-in-Command of ‘Victor Force’, said, “We know we have to deal situation on the internal front and we are doing that with desired results. But simultaneously during my interaction with locals, I felt they were worried about the studies of their children, but at the same time anxious about their security. That is where I asked my boys to work out a plan for providing education to students.”

The Indian Army had earlier organized Operation “Calm Down” during August-September in order to clear the different regions of the valley of protestors and militants by using minimum force. More than 30 schools were burned down over the weeks and the educational institutions in South Kashmir will remain closed for another five months. Thus, the operation “School Chalo” will offer an opportunity for the students to continue their studies and participate in extra-curricular activities.

Operation School Chalo

The various formations under Major Ashok Narula have already started to identify teachers in the localities and they are urging them to hold classes for students in either community houses or schools to continue educating the children. The students in this region were deprived of education since the encounter, which killed the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist.

Narula said, “Besides being an army officer, I am a father of two children. So here I approached the issue as a father and not as an Army officer and ensured that these children should hold books in their hands, rather than a stone.” The Indian Army officers are now trying to convince parents to send their kids to the classes.

They are using a local slogan which goes by “Chyem ne zaroorat Daulat-o-Rubab, Faqat Gochum School te Kitab (I don’t need money and fame, I need books and school).” Narula said, “Unhindered by the turmoil which had engulfed the state, these students have not only finished and revised their syllabus but have also participated whole-heartedly in various functions like Eid, Independence Day etc. These (activities) were also the reasons given to parents in other localities to convince them to send in their children.”